By Hamish Heard
THE ARRIVAL of the massive Dutch dredging ship Queen of the Netherlands has not dampened the enthusiasm of anti-channel deepening activists to stop the project.
Blue Wedges Coalition took its fight to the Federal Court last week to argue that Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett had failed to consider the social costs of the project when he approved it.
The organisation’s lawyer, Fiona MacLeod, SC, succeeded in convincing the court that the challenge could have merit and a hearing was set for 20 February, despite dredging being scheduled to begin last week.
It will be the second Federal Court hearing initiated by Blue Wedges in an attempt to stop the Port of Melbourne Corporation from dredging shipping channels in Port Phillip and the Yarra River.
The project is now awaiting final approval from Mr Garrett, who must decide whether an environmental management plan to protect the bay is adequate.
A port spokesman refused to rule out a start to dredging prior to the court date if Mr Garrett approved the plan.
“We’re just waiting to receive final approval of the environmental management plan and dredging won’t commence until that comes through,” he said.
He said the dredging delays were costing the organisation $250,000 a day.
Blue Wedges vice president John Willis said the organisation was heartened by the court’s decision to allow the hearing to proceed.
“The court made it clear that it wouldn’t lightly allow the threatened damage to happen,” Mr Willis said.
“The words used were ‘it would be bad manners if not strategically silly and there would be consequences’,” he said.
Mr Willis said those consequences included release of a toxic plume of chemicals into the bay, destroying it for recreational users and businesses that relied on the bay’s “pristine environment”.
He said support for the push to stop the project had been gathering momentum as the dredging deadline drew nearer.
“It is most pleasing to see that people have now come out and shown their mistrust towards the Port of Melbourne Corporation and their wish to keep the bay in pristine condition,” he said.
“Polls are suggesting more than three-quarters of Victorians are steadfastly against this proposal and Mr Brumby must accept the democratic wishes of his constituents, not just the port’s business plan.”
